April 6 postgame quotes: Edmonton

Devan Dubnyk, on the challenges presented by Los Angeles:
“They are a big team and play hard. They start to play well at this time of the year. They consistently bring bodies to the net. They crash, screen and throw pucks to the net. We can certainly learn lessons from that. We need to do the same thing. It’s not easy to get there. You look at their second goal. You have two going to the net and it goes off a leg and into the net. That’s sometimes how you need to score if it’s a tough game. We need to bring that.”

Dubnyk, on being in a playoff race:
It’s extremely important for us to be where we are right now. At the same…we talked about it after the game that what we did for the last five games isn’t going to be good enough for the next 10, and same thing in the playoffs. How you play in the first round is not going to be good enough for the second round, and so on. We need to learn that. It’s good that we’re here, and it’s good that we’re experiencing these games, but we need to learn how to play at this time of the year and turn up the intensity and maybe win some ugly ones.

Dubnyk, on whether Edmonton used today’s game as a “measuring stick”:
“You know what, it’s not really something that we look at right now. We just really have to look at every single game as ‘we need the points’. That’s all it comes down to, we need points. We need to find a way to get them. Some nights that’s going to be eight goals for and some nights It’s going to be one or two. We need to figure out how to win those closer ones because everybody plays extra hard this time of year.”

Dubnyk, on playing in a game when facing a heavy shot total against:
“I think patience is one of the most important things. When there’s bodies at the net like they have, you’ve got to find the puck. It’s not easy. Screens are part of the game, and you just have to work that much harder to find the puck and stay on your feet. That’s part of the game, and it certainly makes it tough, but you’ve just got to keep finding a way. Don’t let yourself lose the puck.”

Sam Gagner, on Saturday’s game:
“Discipline is a huge factor. LA is a good team. They are a hard team to beat when you are undisciplined and taking penalties. For us it’s about finding ways to raise our level. These are important games. These are games you want to be a part of down the stretch, fighting for your playoff lives. These games are more intense and we have to raise our level pretty quick.”

Gagner, on the Kings scoring early:
“It’s a matter of being harder in our D zone. If we can do that, they don’t get those chances. For the most part we picked it up there and we were good in position. It’s just a matter of finding that extra intensity in these tight games.”

Gagner, on a game that featured a lot of special teams time:
“It’s tough. You have to find ways to get through it. I think there were penalties both ways. Sometimes that’s just the way the game goes. You have to find a way to continue to work through that and get your game going regardless if it’s slow or not.”

Head Coach Ralph Krueger, on Los Angeles:
“They play hard at both ends. I think in front of both nets they are the best in the league [and] that’s why they are the defending Stanley Cup champs. I think it’s really a measuring stick that we’re trying to compete even harder against teams like this. There were phases where we had a semblance of the game going that we wanted to see but we couldn’t sustain it. They sustained what they do great through 60 minutes.”

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#11 | 6′ 3″ | 224 lb | Age: 29

Bio

As the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Kopitar became the first Slovenian to play in the NHL. Kopitar has spent his entire NHL career with the Kings, and following the 2015–16 season, was named the Kings’ captain. Noted for both his offensive and defensive play, Kopitar was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL in 2016.

#8 | 6′ 1″ | 195 lb | Age: 26

Bio

Bio: Doughty is a Canadian defenceman who was selected second overall by the Kings in the 2008 Draft. Doughty made his NHL debut in 2008 as an 18-year-old and was named to the All-Rookie Team. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Kings, a two-time Olympic gold medallist with the Canadian national team, and a Norris Trophy finalist.

#77 | 6′ 4″ | 215 lb | Age: 31

Bio

Carter began his hockey career playing in the Ontario Hockey League in Canada before joining the AHL and playing for the Philadelphia Flyers. He was then traded to the Colombus Blue jackets before joining the LA Kings in 2012, where he has since won two Stanley Cups with the Kings.

#32 | 6′ 1″ | 218 lb | Age: 30

Bio

Bio: Quick is the current goaltender for the LA Kings and was selected by Los Angeles at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Previously, Quick was a silver medalist with USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He’s won two Stanley Cup championships with the Kings, along with being the most recent goaltender to be awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs.